Bowling type game

ABSTRACT

A game includes a flat topped longitudinally extending base having a set of pins arranged in a particular pattern at one end and a ball or puck impelling area at the other end. An obstacle in the form of a medially located member provided with a longitudinal tunnel with dimensions greater than that of the ball or without such tunnel is positioned between the ends of the base and a pair of curved banking walls extend along opposite edges of the base in the area of and laterally spaced from the obstacle. A manually operable pusher member is provided to facilitate the impelling of the ball or puck.

United States Patent [191 Schwartz Oct. 15, 1974 BOWLING TYPE GAME [21] Appl. No.: 376,104

[52] 11.8. C1. 273/39, 273/118 R, 273/126 R [51] Int. Cl A63d l/(lll [58] Field of Search 273/39, 37, 38, 118 R,

273/118 A, 118 D, 119 R, 119 A, 120 R, 120 A, 123 R, 123 A, 126 R, 126 A, 176 B, 176

704,313 2 1931 France ..273/176F Primary ExaminerAnton O. Oechsle Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Wolder & Gross 5 7 ABSTRACT A game includes a flat topped longitudinally extending base having a set of pins arranged in a particular pattern at one end and a ball or puck impclling area at the other end. An obstacle in the form of a medially located member provided with a longitudinal tunnel with dimensions greater than that of the ball or without such tunnel is positioned between the ends of the base and a pair of curved banking walls extend along opposite edges of the base in the area of and laterally spaced from the obstacle. A manually operable pusher member is provided to facilitate the impelling of the ball or puck.

8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 1 aowuuc rvra GAME The present invention relates generally to improvements in games and it relates more particularly to an improved game in which a ball, pelled toward a target.

In the game of bowling, whether employing full sized pins, duck pins or smaller pins such as in small alleys or table top games, the pins are set at one end of the alley and the projectile, that is, a ball or puck is propelled toward the pins, scoring being kept and prescribed rules followed in the known manner. While this game requires a high degree of skill in the manipulation of the projectile, the playing parameters are very limited. In conventional bowling, the player rolls the ball directly toward a precise target point imparting any desired English to the ball to effect a curved path. However, in similar games which are of lesser dimensions and in which a puck or smaller ball is employed, even the availability of a curved path by means of English is not available. Accordingly, bowling or shuffle board types of games heretofore available or proposed, whether of full or reduced size afford little versatility in the playing thereof and otherwise leave much to be desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved game.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved game of the type wherein a projectile, such as a ball, puck or the like, is propelled along a base or alley to a target.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved bowling type of game wherein the target is pins set in a prescribed pattern and which may be of full size or of reduced or table top size and which possesses a great variety of playing parameter.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a game of the above nature characterized by its great versatility and adaptability, convenience of use, its ability to develop various skills and its high entertainment values.

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wyich illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof.

In a sense, the present invention contemplates the provision of an improved game including a flat faced alley or base having a plurality of upsettable pin members arranged on the distal end of the base and a proximate end from which a projectile such as a ball or puck is propelled. Located along the opposite longitudinal edges of the base are a pair of banking walls which have confronting concave faces terminating inwardly directed lips along their upper edges. Advantageously, an obstacle member is located on the base intermediate the proximate end sections of the banking walls and has a longitudinal passageway of greater cross sectional dimensions than the projectile and delineates with the banking walls opposite side paths. lndicia are located at the proximate end of the base to facilitate the proper initial positioning of the projectile and a projectile pusher member may be provided to effect the propelling of the projectile.

puck or the like, is pro- The improved game is highly versatile, adaptable and of great entertainment value, providing a great number of operating parameters and opportunities for develop ing various skills.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a game board embodying the present invention showing the associated pin members in a set up position;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken FIGS. 1 and 4;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, particularly FIGS. 1 to 4 thereof, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reference numeral 10 generally designates the improved game which is illustrated as applied to a table top type of game in' which the game board rests atop a table or other suitable support. It should be noted however, that the game may be of larger size and mounted on its own legs or it may be of a size comparable to that of the conventional bowling alley and may be located at ground or floor level. In the illustrated form the game ill includes a main body member 11, a plurality of upsettable target elements, such as pins 12, which are either bowlingor duck pins or in simulation thereof, and a projectile, preferrably a ball 13, although other types of projectiles, such as pucks or the like, may be employed. The main body member may be formed of any suitable material, for example, a polymeric resin which may be glass fiber reinforced, wood, or the like.

The body member 11 comprises an elongated rectangular base or alley 14, having a flat horizontal top face and including distal and proximal end sections 16 and 17 respectively and an intermediate section 18. Extending across proximal section 17 is a foul line 19 shortly behind which there are formed a plurality of laterally spaced ball positioning recesses 20. On the leading part of the distal section 16 there are located pin setting indicia 21 arranged in any desired pattern, for example, as illustrated, eight circularly arranged indications and a pair of diametrically transversely spaced indications within the circular set of indications, so as to receive l0 pins.

Projecting upwardly from the side edges of base in termediate section 18 are a pair of similar symmetrically related opposite banking walls 22 which extend from a point forward of foul line 19 to a point forwardly of the pin setting indicia 21. Each of the banking walls 22 is upwardly, outwardly inclined, and includes an upwardly, outwardly inclined vertically and horizontally curved concave inside face 23 which smoothly joins the top face of intermediate section 18 by a curved knee along line 4-4 in portion 24. At least the trailing sections 26 of wall inside faces 23, as well as the leading sections thereof, if desired, are inwardly, forwardly curved.

The leading and trailing edges 27 of walls 22 are downwardly inclined toward the base 14 from horizon- 3 tal longitudinally extending top edges 28 thereof. An inwardly, upwardly inclined flange 29 is formed along the top edge 28 and terminates in a depending lip 30. The underface 32 of flange 29 is concave and smoothly joins wall face 23.

Mounted on the top face of base 14 intermediate the leading sections of banking walls 22 is an obstacle member 33. The obstacle member 33 has a convex top face and a leading end defined by a pair of symmetrical vertical faces 34 converging forwardly to a medially positioned apex 36 which is just rearwardly of the front edges of walls 22. The obstacle member 33 is of a height which is about one-third that of walls 22, a length less than one half the length of walls 22 and a maximum width to provide side passageways between walls 22 and obstacle member 33 to permit the free passage of a ball 13. The rear faces 37 of obstacle member 33 converge rearwardly.

A hand manipulated and actuated pusher member 38 is provided and may be of any desired configuration and includes a base plate 39 slideable along the top face of base 14 and a forwardly directed pusher rod terminate in a ball engaging yoke 41. The pins 12 which are set up on indicia 21 are formed of any suitable material suchas wood, polymeric resins and the like.

In playing the game described above the pins 12 are set up on indicia 21 in a prescribed pattern. The player positions the ball 13 in a selected recess 20, grasps the pusher member 38 to bring the yoke 41 into engagement with the ball'l3 and advances the pusher member 38 in the desired direction with the desired force to propel the ball 13 to traverse a path toward a banking wall face 23 which directs it toward the pins 12 at a point depending on the angle and point of incidence of the ball 13 on wall face 23 and the force imparted to the ball. It should be noted that flange 29 prevents the ball 13 from being propelled above the top of the banking wall 22. The rules followed in playing the game may be the same as those used in bowling or any other suitable or desirable rules of play may be established.

In FIGS. and 6 of the drawings there is illustrated another embodiment of the present invention which differs from that first described, only in the structure of the obstacle member. Specifically, the modified game 42 includes a base member 43 and banking walls 44 corresponding in structure and relationship to base member 14 and banking walls 28. An obstacle member 46 of the same external configuration and dimensions and the same relationship to walls 44 as obstacle member 33 and its relationship to walls 28 is located on base member 43. However, a medial tunnel 47 is formed in the underpart of obstacle member 46 and extends lonk The game last described is employed and played in the manner of that of the embodiment first described, except that an additional playing parameter is provided in that the ball 48 may be propelled directly toward the target pins through the tunnel 47. Of course the ball 48 may also be propelled toward the target pins by banking against an inside face of a wall 44, as earlier explained.

While there have been described and illustrated preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations, additions and omissions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

1 claim:

1. A game comprising an alley defining longitudinally extending flattopped base having distal and proximate sections at opposite ends thereof, substantially coextensive banking walls extending along opposite longitudinal edges of said base and including similar confronting outwardly curved concave inside faces, a plurality of target elements resting on said base distal section, a projectile propellable along said base from said proximate section toward said distal section and an obstacle located on said base intermediate sa'id banking walls and delineating with said banking walls a pair of opposite passageways of greater width than said projectile.

2. The game of claim 1 wherein each of said banking wall inside faces is upwardly, outwardly inclined.

3. The game of claim 1 wherein said walls'terminate at their upper edges in inwardly projecting overhanging lips.

4. The game of claim 2 wherein said lips have inwardly, upwardly inclined concave underfaces.

5. The game of claim 1 wherein said obstacle is disposed proximate the leading sections of said banking walls.

6. The game of claim 1 wherein said obstacle has a longitudinal passageway therethrough with a bottom face coplanar with the face of said base and having transverse cross sectional dimensions greater than those of the projectile.

7. The game of claim 1 wherein said projectile is a ball.

8. The game of claim 1 wherein said base distal section carries target element positioning indicia and said target elements are pins. 

1. A game comprising an alley defining longitudinally extending flat topped base having distal and proximate sections at opposite ends thereof, substantially coextensive banking walls extending along opposite longitudinal edges of said base and including similar confronting outwardly curved concave inside faces, a plurality of target elements resting on said base distal section, a projectile propellable along said base from said proximate section toward said distal section and an obstacle located on said base intermediate said banking walls and delineating with said banking walls a pair of opposite passageways of greater width than said projectile.
 2. The game of claim 1 wherein each of said banking wall inside faces is upwardly, outwardly inclined.
 3. The game of claim 1 wherein said walls terminate at their upper edges in inwardly projecting overhanging lips.
 4. The game of claim 2 wherein said lips Have inwardly, upwardly inclined concave underfaces.
 5. The game of claim 1 wherein said obstacle is disposed proximate the leading sections of said banking walls.
 6. The game of claim 1 wherein said obstacle has a longitudinal passageway therethrough with a bottom face coplanar with the face of said base and having transverse cross sectional dimensions greater than those of the projectile.
 7. The game of claim 1 wherein said projectile is a ball.
 8. The game of claim 1 wherein said base distal section carries target element positioning indicia and said target elements are pins. 